Pentagon Welcomes Musk’s Grok AI Amid Global Backlash
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Monday that Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok will integrate with Google’s generative AI engine within the Pentagon network, as part of a larger initiative to incorporate as much military data as possible into the evolving technology. “Very soon we will have the world’s leading AI models on every unclassified and classified network throughout our department,” Hegseth said in a speech at Musk’s space flight company, SpaceX, in South Texas. The announcement follows closely on the heels of Grok, integrated into X, the social media platform owned by Musk, which has faced widespread condemnation and examination for producing highly sexualized deepfake images of individuals without their consent.
Malaysia and Indonesia have taken action to block Grok, while the independent online safety watchdog in the U.K. revealed an investigation on Monday. Grok has restricted image generation and editing features to its paying users. Hegseth stated that Grok is set to launch within the Defense Department later this month and declared his intention to make all relevant data from the military’s IT systems accessible for AI utilization. He also stated that data from intelligence databases would be integrated into AI systems. Hegseth’s assertive advocacy for the emerging technology sharply contrasts with the Biden administration’s approach, which, while encouraging federal agencies to formulate policies and applications for AI, has also expressed caution regarding potential misuse. Officials emphasized the necessity of regulations to guarantee that the technology, capable of being utilized for mass surveillance, cyberattacks, or even lethal autonomous devices, is employed responsibly.
The Biden administration implemented a framework in late 2024 that instructed national security agencies to broaden their utilization of cutting-edge AI systems while prohibiting specific applications, including those that would infringe upon constitutionally protected civil rights or any system designed to automate the deployment of nuclear weapons. The status of those prohibitions under the Trump administration remains uncertain. In his address, Hegseth emphasized the importance of accelerating technological advancements in the military, stating, “We need innovation to come from anywhere and evolve with speed and purpose.” He emphasized that the Pentagon holds combat-proven operational data accumulated over two decades of military and intelligence operations. “AI is only as good as the data that it receives, and we’re going to make sure that it’s there,” Hegseth said.
The defense secretary expressed a desire for AI systems within the Pentagon to operate responsibly, yet he also indicated a dismissal of any AI models that do not facilitate warfare. Hegseth articulated his perspective on military AI systems, emphasizing that they should function without ideological constraints that restrict lawful military applications. He further asserted that the Pentagon’s AI will not be woke. Musk created and presented Grok as a response to what he described as woke AI interactions from competing chatbots such as Google’s Gemini or OpenAI’s ChatGPT. In July, Grok sparked controversy by seemingly making antisemitic remarks that lauded Adolf Hitler and disseminated multiple antisemitic posts. The Pentagon has yet to provide a response to inquiries regarding the problems associated with Grok.
